Getty. And inside those findings was a plan that Scientology operatives had created and written to establish area control. At first, I just wanted to make a short video about the buildings and programs they are doing in clearwater. . Companies tied to the Church of Scientology paid millions in cash for 45 properties near downtown with no major plans in sight. Ever since Ive been here, and ever since Ive dealt with Scientology officials, I have heard the leaders articulate that they want to see a vibrant downtown, Horne said. This purchase was part of Project Normandy, a covert Scientology program to take over Clearwater. Fifty-eight are in the city of Clearwater and 49 are downtown.. Philip Kirkpatrick, Clearwaters senior economic development coordinator, said Stephen Epstein spoke with city officials in December about a potential commercial and multifamily project on the site. It said information in parishioner folders is sacrosanct and claims of blackmail have long since been disproven.. Much of downtown Clearwater is now owned by people or companies tied to Scientology, a report finds. Made an offer. They keep their operations going. His job appears to be one of a PR guy who can appeal to Clearwater City Government. They now own most commercial property on every block within walking distance of the waterfront. Do you own your house? After negotiations, Kerrs company paid Yarbrough $1.1 million in cash for the lots, then valued by Pinellas County at $331,000. The Church of Scientology, its members and companies controlled by its members have spent $103 million over the past three years buying retail property in downtown Clearwater, Fla., according to the Tampa Bay Times. It was owned by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. They were very secretive, he said. It does not include properties recently bought by companies run by church members. The city has no record yet of redevelopment plans being submitted for any of the North Marina properties since the purchases began, according to planning and development director Gina Clayton. And our analysis found that these church officials were offering two, three, four times what the property appraiser said the properties were valued. In private meetings with council members, the Scientology leader described a plan for high-end shops, Cleveland Street facade renovations and an entertainment complex involving actor Tom Cruise, Scientologys most famous parishioner. Rodney Riley is the CEO of RSR Capital Advisors in Clearwater, Florida. Many of their properties weren't listed for sale. When the city was considering buying the aquariums lot, Miscavige threatened to stop communicating until the 2020 election, when term limits would force most of the council out of office. The hotel has 11 stories and features 220 rooms, three restaurants, a swimming pool and a . Can you give me a sense of the scale and how they have made this happen with the relatively little fanfare over the years? In response to detailed memos summarizing the reporting, the church criticized the Times for portraying its members as mindless robots and for having a preconceived agenda to present every Scientology story in a false and unfavorable light.. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email along with 7129 other subscribers. We interpret it as the Tampa Bay Times getting too close for Mr. Epsteins comfort. But Lee assumed the church was involved. Both have been there for decades. That company has had no connection to Coldwell Banker for decades. (SOUNDBITE OF CHICK COREA'S "RETURN TO FOREVER"). But companies controlled by different parishioners bought neighboring properties that create clear assemblages of land. [ The full history: Scientologys 40 years of conflict with the City of Clearwater, recapped ]. CLEARWATER Ed Chesney had two rental homes and two vacant lots in the North Marina Area on the market for a year before his real estate agent called in late 2019 with good news. . Flag is what they call it, and it's the international spiritual headquarters of the church. The main reason why developers didnt want it was they didnt want to be near the Church of Scientology, Searcy said. Story by TRACEY McMANUS Mike Rinder, who led Scientologys intelligence arm before defecting in 2007, said any property owned by a parishioner is in the churchs control. In San Diego, Taylor Guitars and Deering Banjo Company. NIO stock swings lower after reporting losses that were much wider than expected, 3Ms stock surges after company says DOD data show 90% of earplug plaintiffs had normal hearing, Marc Benioffs Salesforce fairy tale is crumbling down around him. He was overseeing the religion from aboard a ship to avoid investigations into tax evasion and fraud when he selected Clearwater as a spiritual headquarters. However, this tactic can backfire when it comes across as answering a question no one has asked. The Imagine Clearwater project aims to transform the city-owned waterfront into a vibrant park with gardens, a concert green, a walkway with views of the Intracoastal Waterway and mixed-use projects. Scientology Fines OTs $100,000 if They Talk About Xenu or Body Thetans! Because the city rebuffed Miscaviges offer, Bunker, who has advocated against alleged abuses in Scientology for 20 years, said he sees the parishioner-involved real estate purchases that followed as a vindictive and desperate play to interfere with Clearwaters revitalization efforts. The Florida Secretary of State records show the firm went dormant in 2012. Reporters analyzed thousands of rows of data and pulled more than 1,000 records from the Pinellas County Property Appraiser, the Pinellas County Clerk of Court and the Florida Division of Corporations. He walked away with nothing. Over the next four decades, the church gradually amassed 58 properties in Clearwater under its name, 49 of them downtown. The pattern of Scientology-tied companies buying so many properties and sitting on them flies in the face of most land economics, said Tobias, who has been appraising property in Pinellas County for 50 years. In late 2020, Terri Novitsky also was elected to the Downtown Development Board, an advisory group tasked with promoting downtown. Although that arrangement is standard in real estate, it makes it impossible to know whether the properties are owned by the Scientologists who manage the companies, the wealthy church or another hidden party. Another tell. GARCIA-NAVARRO: Explain to me why the paper has a Scientology reporter. They have control over what businesses, if any, come in. Xenu Who? Andrus did not respond to an email, phone message, a note left at his office or a certified letter. Its too soon to say how the shift in ownership will affect downtown. They have completed courses and spiritual counseling that can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Reached at their condo, his wife declined to comment. GARCIA-NAVARRO: So the fact that the church is now buying up these properties through proxy organizations would maybe ring some alarm bells for the community because of what has happened in the past. Mayor Jane Castors partner vowed not to lobby the city. About 72 percent of those properties are tax exempt for religious uses. He had committed to downtown in 1997. They doubled the churchs footprint in less than three years. Melitta electrics and accessories are manufactured, marketed and distributed under a licensing agreement. Everyone in KnowBe4 knows I'm a (proud) Scientologist. Hayes, the attorney and parishioner involved in the rest of the North Marina purchases, was added as manager on the companies filings. Since July 2019, eight limited liability companies managed or operatedby members of the church have bought 45 properties in North Marina, including Chesneys. They adopted a master plan in 2016 that envisioned housing, a hotel and shopping to complement what they hope will be Clearwaters revitalized downtown less than a mile to the south. In the world of scientologywhere anything goes and all laws in the wog world by damnedits Christmas 24/7. Aaron Smith-Levin, a former Sea Org member, said a church ethics officer in 1993 pressured Smith-Levins father-in-law to sell Scientology a downtown property it wanted for expansion. The impact is clearest in the heart of downtown. In an interview with Scientology-owned "Freedom Magazine" Gendusa said that she moved to Clearwater to study Scientology more than 25 years ago. Columnist Stephanie Hayes will share thoughts, feelings and funny business with you every Monday. This gallery shows all 60 properties Scientology owns under its name in Pinellas county and six additional retail properties the church acquired through limited liability companies in 2017. Although Zano is not well known in Clearwater, the companies spent $16.7 million acquiring 26 commercial properties downtown. The few willing to answer questions said Scientology has no influence on their real estate dealings. Business Outlook. They envisioned apartment buildings with ground-floor stores, winding paths with views of the Intracoastal Waterway and a concert venue that would draw visitors from across the region. Scientology members fuel another land-buying surge in Clearwater Companies tied to the Church of Scientology paid millions in cash for 45 properties near downtown with no major plans in. They started hosting concerts on the waterfront that now draw thousands. He told Fischler that before Scientology bought the Fort Harrison Hotel in 1975 he worked there as a busboy. and last updated 7:53 PM, Oct 21, 2019. Copyright 2019 NPR. Rodney Riley is an interesting character in this whole thing. A buyer, whose identity Chesney never learned, agreed to his asking price without countering $1 million cash for the adjoining parcels, which was four times the value set by the Pinellas County Property Appraiser. The church acquired three others in a land swap. Please! Local Scientology spokesman Ben Shaw and international spokeswoman Karin Pouw did not respond to repeated requests by the Times for an interview with Scientology leader David Miscavige. The project broke ground in August and is aimed at helping bring businesses and foot traffic to the empty storefronts in the surrounding blocks. The Times also contacted representatives of all 32 companies it identified that bought downtown real estate over the past three years. There's parishioners that come here from all over the world to take courses in high level auditing that's not offered anywhere else. Hes still holding out. Some landlords tied to Scientology have helped bring life to portions of downtown. The Church of Scientology has done many things at a remove or by a ruse, feint, or stratagem. David Gentile is creative with money and had hundreds of bank accounts and sub-funds when he ran GPB Capital. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. He took over Bob Lees Auto to continue the business legacy and served on the Downtown Development Board for a decade. For example, David Miscaviges personal lawyer of 35 years Monique Yingling has never been a Scientologist. Im concerned, Mayor Frank Hibbard said. Even city leaders said they didnt know the full extent of the purchases until they were shown maps created by the Times. We previously reported on CA South Development. Council members were less delighted by the discovery, however especially since many of the lots and storefronts purchased by owners with Scientology ties are sitting vacant while the Clearwater City Council aims to turn the downtown waterfront into a dining and entertainment destination. The greatest number of properties were bought by companies controlled by either Israeli businessman Itzhak Zano or another Scientologist who represents him. Part of the reason for that is because they have this Sea Org that works full time and is paid less than $50 a week. Florida executes Donald Dillbeck for 1990 Tallahassee murder, Held without charge, a Miami inmates unborn child asks court for release in odd case, One step led Tampa runner, Gasparilla entrant to big weight loss, huge life gains, Hillsborough must right-size its school system | Editorial, companies tied to Scientology bought 100 properties, Winter the dolphin died of twisted intestines, necropsy report confirms. Scientologists annually contribute $87,867,000 to charitable endeavors, money that uplifts the quality of life in Clearwater. Subscribe to our free Stephinitely newsletter. $99 million of the purchases were paid for in cash.. We have previously presented a case that the $103 million was provided by Scientologist David Gentile's GPB Capital Holdings. We reported at that time that a handful of limited liability companies bought about six downtown properties, and Scientology leader David Miscavige had presented a retail plan to two city staff officials. But his offer had a catch. They spent $6.5 million to renovate the public Seminole Boat Ramp, a popular centerpiece seen as a sign of the citys commitment. Construction on eight townhomes on the south end of the marina began Oct. 1, according to county records. Most of the new owners have done little with their acquisitions. We don't know if they're just going to continue to squat on them - because they haven't done anything yet. ANTIFRAGILE LIMITED During spiritual counseling, parishioners are interrogated about their deepest secrets, which are recorded in folders and stored indefinitely. The pattern of Scientology-tied companies buying so many properties and sitting on them "flies in the face of most land economics," said Tobias, who has been appraising property in Pinellas County for 50 years. About $15.9 million was paid in cash. When the council voted to buy the property, the chamber erupted in applause. Visit a quote page and your recently viewed tickers will be displayed here. However, it hasnt always been clear to me as to just what does that actually mean.. February 27, 2023 endeavor air pilot contract No Comments . The Fort Harrison Hotel serves as the flagship building of the Flag Land Base, the Church of Scientology's spiritual headquarters in Clearwater, Florida, US.It is owned and operated by the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, Inc., a subsidiary of the Church of Scientology International.. According to a new report by The Tampa Bay Times, the Church of Scientology and related entities now own over $260 million of property in downtown Clearwater. During that period, downtown purchases by limited liability companies managed by members of Scientology accelerated. GARCIA-NAVARRO: What is the view of the local community? The church has shed no light on its plans. (Everything owned by parishioner-run companies is still on the tax rolls. Bosi wasnt interested. Scientologists living in Clearwater span the gamut of professional life . They haven't submitted redevelopment plans. They paid $26 million. The Church of Scientology, its members and companies controlled by its members have spent $103 million over the past three years buying retail property in downtown Clearwater, Fla., according. But now these LLCs tied to Scientology control the retail district. Dozens of residents showed up to speak. NIO's stock slumped toward a 2 1/2-year low, after the China-based EV maker reported a much wider-than-expected loss and revenue that fell short of forecasts. The church, its members and companies they control now own 185 properties that cover 101 acres in the center of downtown. Additional Clearwater real estate purchases began in 2019. Why does this matter? Businesses might see this city project and say, yeah, let me take a chance on downtown and open up a business. Tal Ezra, a Scientologist who recently bought four parcels around an office where he has run his fuel management company since 2005, said hes considering office space and possibly a retail shop. Its important for me to communicate with the Scientologists in Clearwater and have that ability to work side-by-side, Riley said, also noting he is now based in Clearwater. In 2017 the church acquired six downtown Clearwater retail properties through limited liability companies. The majority of this property now stands vacant, and given the Church's tax exempt status, has limitless potential for development. After his stint at CBRE, Riley worked for Caliber Wells in Scottsdale, Arizona and then left the firm. If Epsteins client was not the Church of Scientology then who is his client? But its potential is still untapped, with prime vacant land overlooking Clearwater Harbor. A lot of them are vacant lots, vacant buildings, empty storefronts. The Church was unaware of the land purchases? If the council in 2020 isnt on board with doing something his way, hes going to do it himself.. My plan is to keep renting, Huestler said. How much of Clearwater is owned by Scientology? The Church of Scientology and companies run by its members spent $103 million over the past three years buying up vast sections of downtown Clearwater. This is a story for another time. I think it throws a stake in it when one party owns 50 percent or so. The land grab started as tensions grew between the church and the Clearwater City Council. Some have donated millions to the church. Over the past two years, the properties surrounding the shop have been sold to Scientologist-controlled companies. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Since 2017, the Church of Scientology and companies run by its members have bought 92 properties around the center of downtown. Then he would try again, with new council members. 20, 2019. The Church of Scientology and companies run by its members spent $103 million over the past three years buying up vast sections of downtown Clearwater. Jim Huestler is the blocks only holdout with a rental home on the northeast corner. If so, it's technically possible with a home IPO. After the Times reported the purchases, Miscavige acknowledged the properties were bought for a second revitalization strategy one devised by the church. High-ranking defectors provide an unprecedented inside look at Scientology, its leader and the Lisa McPherson case. In her November 2021 article on Scientologists buying land in Clearwater, Tracey McManus wrote (emphasis ours): The city received an informal inquiry last year related to vacant land at the southeast corner of Seminole Street and North Fort Harrison Avenue. The church promised to spend $55 million. I saw a business opportunity, Ezra said. Wayne E. Lee ran his Auto Parts Distributors business on Park Street since 1982. Scientology leader David Miscavige told city officials the properties were part of the churchs proposed retail redevelopment plan. The church also targeted the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Justice and scores of foreign governments. Clearwater is the permanent home to more than 10,000 Scientology parishioners. After buying eight buildings on and around Cleveland Street in 2018, Moises Agami, a parishioner and developer, now has restaurants, shops and other businesses in 16 of those 20 storefronts. How Riley made the jump from a regional Coldwell Banker slot in Arizona to suddenly handling a proposed $350 million Clearwater Marina District development is certainly interesting and raises questions we are looking into. The inn had stood empty since being damaged in a 1989 arson fire and the Church of Scientology acquired the land in 1991 after it had been purchased by local property developer Terence J. McCarthy, the owner of T.J.M. Suspicion swirled. The Scientology leader had offered the Clearwater Marine Aquarium $15 million for that 1.4-acre grass lot on Pierce Street. One of the factors they do control is the waterfront land that's protected by city charter, that they are in the middle of a $64 million plan right now to redesign and develop into a park with gardens and a concert venue. Eventually, open tensions faded. The analysis did not include residential parcels except in cases where they were bought in conjunction with commercial property or vacant land. Here is a map showing the parcels in purple which Riley is acquiring: We have previously offered our opinion that the $102 million in Downtown Clearwater land purchases made by Scientologists came from GPB Capital Holdings. Scientologists from across the globe make pilgrimages to the campus, called Flag. NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks with reporter Tracey McManus. Many of the properties werent on the market. Assistant City Manager Michael Delk said the citys priority is turning the spectacular land it owns into a community destination, no matter who owns the private property around it. 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